A Burbank family escaped a house fire but a pet dog was killed in the blaze that sent heavy smoke billowing throughout the 2-story brick home.

Burbank firefighters along with units from Bedford Park, Oak Lawn, Evergreen Park, Hometown, and North Palos responded to the fire in the 7000 block of W. 82nd Street around 3:40 p.m. Sunday afternoon.

Division Chief Mike Dudlo of the Burbank Police Department said the homeowner was cooking dinner when he smelled smoke and began searching for the source of the fumes. When the man opened the door to the garage, he saw flames coming from a stairwell which leads to the basement.

Dudlo said the man got his family out of the house and called 911 but a Shih-Tzu owned by a friend visiting from California succumbed to the heavy smoke.

“The basement and garage, including a car parked in the garage, suffered severe fire damage,” Dudlo said. “The rest of the house suffered severe smoke damage.”​

The cause of the fire has not yet been determined and remains under investigation by Burbank fire officials. The homeowner said that no one in the house was a smoker so authorities do not believe a cigarette started the blaze, according to Dudlo.